Fired LHA officer asks for job back

LOWELL -- Standing across the room from the man who fired him, the Lowell Housing Authority's former top procurement official urged the LHA's board Wednesday night to re-hire him so he can finish his efforts in recent years to turn around the agency's procurement operations.

John Romano, who served as the LHA's chief procurement officer, auditor and compliance officer until last Thursday, said since the fall of 2010 the agency has made marked improvements in procurement-related issues that government agencies investigating the LHA will confirm, including seeking bids for projects and supplies when required.

The agencies he said will confirm the improvements are the U.S.

Ousted procurement officer John Romano addresses the Lowell Housing Authority board in an effort to get his job back Wednesday. Sun photos/Bob Whitaker

Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of the Inspector General, the Attorney General's Office and state Inspector General's Office.

"We have turned the snowman back the right way," Romano said. "The cart is no longer in front of the horse here. We have reversed that.

"I'm asking this board to take the steps necessary to let me continue to get this authority to full compliance," continued Romano, who has accused LHA Executive Director Gary Wallace of firing him for cooperating with government investigators.

The former procurement official has told The Sun he believes the investigators will also identify problems with procurement and other issues, such as nepotism, before 2010, including during the renovations of the North Common Village from 2008-2011.

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Romano also requested an explanation Wednesday for his firing. He addressed the board from the corner of the meeting room because the podium and microphone normally present for members of the public to use were not present.

"My initial plan was to come here to tell my side of the story," Romano said. "However, I still don't know what the story is so I'm going to take the high road."

Board Chairwoman Kristin Ross-Sitcawich told Romano she appreciated his appearance before the board and said the five-member body would take his comments under advisement.

In an interview after the meeting, Ross-Sitcawich said Wallace is the sole official responsible for terminating employees, so the board could ask him to review his decision to fire Romano.

"He is the day-to-day manager," said Ross-Sitcawich, adding that the board is responsible for confirming hiring decisions.

Ross-Sitcawich also said she and the rest of the board were privy to the reasons for Romano's firing, but could not comment on them.

"Our executive director does not take these things lightly," she said. "It was not done in a light-hearted manner."

Commissioner Michael Zaim also told The Sun Wallace is responsible for personnel decisions. He declined to comment on Romano's comments or the board's potential next steps.

Wallace declined comment after the meeting.

In a letter sent to Romano last Thursday, Wallace wrote he was firing Romano "in light of your recent activities," but he did not identify those actions.

Commissioner Rosaline Willie-Bonglo declined comment and Commissioner Bopha Peou, who attended her first meeting, could not be reached for comment.

Romano asked the board if they had any questions for him, but none of the four commissioners asked any.

He said he was left disappointed and confused they did not do so.

Commissioner Tim Green was absent from the board's monthly meeting, the second straight meeting he has missed. An official from the HUD Inspector General's Office was present, but did not address the board.

Romano, who also believes he was fired for telling top LHA brass they needed to be honest with investigators, told The Sun after the meeting he would be open to the board hiring him just to work for them.

He said the board could allow him to continue to his work to address procurement issues and he could keep them abreast of any problems identified. Romano also said governmental boards in other communities have hired consultants just to work for them.

Romano became the top procurement officer last year and was an at-will employee hired in 2009 who was paid about $70,000 annually.

He says he was not part of or around for the LHA's decision to bypass seeking bids for the North Common Village renovation project and the supplies for it, a focus of government investigators.

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